Bloomberg
• Madlin Mekelburg
Nathan Johnson, Texas’ attorney general-elect, says he will closely examine any potential merger between SpaceX and Tesla, warning of the risks of corporate concentration. The two companies, both among Texas’ most valuable, are weighing a tie-up, though no deal has been announced.
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Nathan Johnson, Texas’ attorney general-elect, says he will closely examine any potential merger between SpaceX and Tesla, warning of the risks of corporate concentration. The two companies, both among Texas’ most valuable, are weighing a tie-up, though no deal has been announced.
The Office of Space Commerce has selected four companies to participate in a pilot program intended to lead to a mission authorization system. The selection marks a step toward developing the system, though the available reporting does not identify the companies or provide further details about the program’s scope or schedule.
The cluster highlights two launch-vehicle milestones: an upcoming Starship test flight described as historic and a century of Electron. The available report excerpt offers no further details on the planned test or what the Electron milestone counts.
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Archer has received an FAA Market Survey Special Airworthiness Certificate for its Midnight eVTOL, clearing the way for piloted Los Angeles operations, and signed a multi-year agreement to explore air-taxi flights at selected Formula 1 races. Separately, Future Flight Global targets Florida service in 2027, while Virgin Galactic plans Spaceport America expansion for 150 annual flights by end-2028.
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ispace signed agreements with KDDI to advance lunar communications networks and services, linking planned lunar satellites with ground stations and supporting research into surface communications. A separate agreement with Nammo is intended to strengthen ispace’s propulsion supply chain, pairing infrastructure development with a key supply-side effort.
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Spaceium is offering its OpenPort satellite-refueling interface to manufacturers for a US$1 license, aiming to widen adoption and build an orbital fuel network. The offer positions the interface as a potential common component for satellites designed to access in-space refueling.
ANA Holdings has invested in Space Quarters, which is developing technologies to build structures in space. The approach could enable designs less constrained by the dimensions of rocket fairings, though the available reports provide no details on the investment size, project milestones or intended applications.
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SpaceX plans to attempt a “double catch” on Starship’s 15th flight, aiming to recover both the Super Heavy booster and spacecraft at its Texas launch site. It would be the first attempt to catch the spacecraft on land, a key test of the fully reusable launch system.
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